Multi-station document inserting systems exist that include various stations that are configured for specific applications. Certain inserting systems, also known as console inserting machines, are manufactured to perform operations customized for a particular customer. Such machines are generally used by organizations that produce a large volume of mailings in which the content of each mail piece may vary.
Examples of multi-station document inserter systems are the 8 Series TM inserter systems operating at throughputs of up to 8,000 per hour, the 9 Series TM inserter systems operating at throughputs of up to 10,500 per hour and the APS Series TM inserter systems operating at throughputs of up to 18,000 per hour, all available from Pitney Bowes Inc. of Stamford, Conn.
In many respects the typical inserter system resembles a manufacturing assembly line. Sheets and other raw materials including other sheets, enclosures, and envelopes enter the inserter system as inputs. The different modules or workstations in the inserter system work cooperatively to process the sheets and produce finished mailpieces. The exact configuration of each inserter system depends upon the needs of the particular customer or installation. For example, a typical inserter system includes a plurality of serially arranged stations including an envelope feeder, a plurality of insert feeder stations and a burster-folder station. There is a computer generated form or web feeder that feeds continuous form control documents having control-coded marks printed thereon to the burster-folder station for separating and folding. A control scanner located in the burster-folder station senses the control marks on the control documents. Thereafter, the serially arranged insert feeder stations sequentially feed the necessary documents onto a transport deck at each station as the control document arrives at the respective station to form a precisely collated stack of documents. The stack is transported to the envelope feeder-insert station where it is inserted into the envelope. A typical modern inserter system also includes a control system to synchronize the operation of the overall inserter system to ensure that the collations are properly assembled.